Swan takes flight

Wednesday

Aug 28, 2013 at 9:54 AMAug 28, 2013 at 9:54 AM

By Andy Barrand abarrand@hillsdale.netBUTLER TOWNSHIP — A hot, dry, fast track greeted racers Saturday night at Butler Motor Speedway.Sportsman driver Eric Swan took advantage of his front row starting position to take the A Main win. Swan paced the field with little challenge from Butler regular Scott Gaff, until the caution flag flew with six laps to go.On the restart, Gaff hung with Swan and challenged him for the lead.Swan and Gaff were followed by Steve Langdon, Jake Rendel, Matt Bell, Deuane Morley, Elzie Kipp, Melanie Gaff, Bill Williams, and Jarrett Rendel. 16 cars started the A Main.Swan also took his heat win. Jarrett Rendel took the second-heat win.Gaff now leads Jake Redel by 62 points and Langdon by 64 points for the season championship.Swan also competed in the UMP modified division were he finished 15th.Brothers Jake Bailey and Jordan Bailey started on the front row for the UMP modified A Main. Jake battled with Terry Sroufe who was filling in for Jessica Sroufe. Sroufe was injured in a wreck in the A Main, Aug. 17.Starting fourth, Sroufe hung on Bailey's bumper for the first five laps. Bailey and Sroufe battled for the lead for four consecutive laps. Sroufe slid underneath Bailey in turn one. As Sroufe nearly made it to flag stand, the caution flag flew. On the fourth restart Sroufe secured the first position but had a flat tire with seven laps to go giving Bailey the lead back.Jake Bailey was followed by Josh Lolmaugh, Colin Thirlby, Tim Wilber, David VanGuilder, Corey BeVard, Dave Sibberson, Mike Bufink, Kevin Gutting, and Jon Hadley.Heat race wins went to Thirlby, Swan, and Jake Rendel. Jake Rendel leads the points championship by 21 points over Josh Lolmaugh.Twenty-one cars started the Sprint car feature led by Scott Hull and Quentin Blonde on the front row. Hull led flag to flag with his only challenger being Montgomery's Doug Zimmerman. Zimmerman is currently second in points behind Brad Lamberson.Starting from the back of the pack Jared Horstman passed the most cars in the feature, finishing in fifth. Hull and Zimmerman were followed by Roger Campbell, Brad Lamerson, Horstman, Andy Chehowski, Blonde, Chase Ridenour, Mike Baker, and Chad Hart.Heat race wins went to Marques Huffer, Campbell, and Zimmerman.The last A Main of the night was the Street Stock Division, 20 cars started the race. Chris Garrett came out on top after starting the feature in fourth. Garrett currently leads the Street Stock points race. He is 80 points ahead of Jeff Hinkley Jr. Garrett was followed by Jake Rendel, Hinkley Jr., Terry Milliman, Dustin Hyliard, Josh Garrett, Shawn McFeters, Sheryll Dishaw, Lacy Notestine, and Bobbi Ward.Heat race wins went to Jake Rendel, Chris Garrett and Josh Garrett.Saturday's race will feature the four regular divisions plus the final race of the Hawkeye Superbikes Mini Sprint series.Chase Ridenour leads the mini-sprint points series, as he is 69 points ahead of Kyle Locke of Quincy.Gates open at 2 p.m. with racing starting at 7:30 p.m. Grandstand tickets are $12, kids 6-12 $5, kids 5 and under are free and pit passes $25.